Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Sometimes my perennial brunchmate Tiffany and I don't go for brunch. We go for dinner. Tiffany wanted to go somewhere "low key" so we could catch up on my recent trip to London and Paris, and she suggested the Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar, which, while exuding a low-key vibe, was in fact buzzing with people.


Gravity offers up a modest menu featuring soup, paninis, cheeseboards, olives, cake and pastries, highlighting local suppliers like Spolumbo's Sausages, Pascal's Patisserie, Phil & Sebastian, Papa Chocolat and Say Cheese. They are also big on the idea of building a community around their café, hosting weekly "theme" nights like live music, open mic nights and game nights (there is a little bookcase in the corner with books and games) as well as larger events and fundraisers.

Back to the food - I decided to get a half-sandwich and soup "combo" ($11) with Kale, White Bean and Ham soup and Chicken Sausage and Monterey Jack panini.


The soup was hearty and full of veggies, reminding me a bit of my own recipe but with no potato, and generous chunks of tender, not-too-salty ham instead of sausage. The panini was warm and gooey, with lots of flavour from the Spolumbo's chicken sausage and the grilled vegetables.


Tiffany was "nibbling" before we met up, so she just got dessert - a generous slice of Coconut Cake ($7).


The cake was sweet with a nice crumb and a thick layer of creamy coconut icing. I debated whether to get the Carrot Cake ($6) or the Flourless Chocolate Cake ($7), and after the waitress told me that the latter was "very decadent" I decided to go for it.


This cake was *so* good. Dense and rich, almost like eating a cold, soft chocolate bar. I was so glad I ordered it and would totally go back just for this.

I really enjoyed the vibe at Gravity. Owner Andy Fennell worked the floor and would constantly check in to make sure everything was OK. Even though it was busy, it still felt very classy. I also like how it's open late - perhaps there is finally a place to stop for late night desserts in Calgary? I hope they will keep expanding their menu so I have even more reasons to go back!

Gravity Espresso & Wine Bar
909 10 St SE
Calgary AB T2G 0L9
(403) 457-0697
Open Mon 7 AM-4:30 PM; Tues-Thu 7 AM-10 PM; Fri 7 AM-Midnight; Sat 8 AM-Midnight; Sun 8 AM-10 PM.

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Grilled Dijon Lamb Chops

I've been cooking a lot from Cook!from Dietitians of Canada lately. It's mostly for work, but we have discovered a few easy, tasty and healthy (well, at least dietitian-approved) recipes, like these Grilled Dijon Lamb Chops.

One of B.'s goals last year was to grill more, but we had a pretty cool summer and didn't get to do it as much as we wanted to. This year, we are taking advantage of the warmer weather (and I love "tricking" B. into making me dinner!)

It starts with a simple rub of oil, garlic, thyme, Dijon mustard and black pepper.




On the grill for just a few minutes a side, then dinner is served! We had this with grilled asparagus and a French Potato Salad from Cooking Vegetarian

Grilled Dijon Lamb Chops
Adapted from Cook!by Dietitians of Canada
Makes 4 servings

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried thyme
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) Dijon mustard
  
• 1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil
  
• 8 lean lamb chops, trimmed

1. In a small bowl, combine garlic, thyme, pepper, mustard and oil. Rub evenly over both sides of lamb chops.
   
2. Place lamb chops on a preheated BBQ, close the lid and grill, turning once, for 4-5 minutes per side for medium or to desired doneness.

Nutrition Info (per serving of 2 lamb chops): 205 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated, 0 g trans), 85 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrate (1 g fibre, 0 g sugar), 28 g protein, 177 mg sodium. An excellent source of niacin (vitamin B₃), vitamin B₁₂, iron, potassium, zinc and selenium. A good source of thiamine (vitamin B₁), riboflavin (vitamin B₂), folate (vitamin B₉), vitamin K, magnesium and phosphorus.

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Inti Restaurant

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Happy Mother's Day! Today we are going to Belgo for their Mother's Day Brunch but I wanted to tell you about a new restaurant that my monthly lunch companion Roger and I just added to our rotation.

Inti Restaurant just opened in the Interpacific Business Park (the same strip mall that houses Clay Oven, another lunch favourite, among other eats) about a month ago. Owners Angela and Hans Puccinelli left The BottleHouse in Kensington to open what may possibly be Calgary's only Peruvian restaurant. I have never had Peruvian food before, so had no idea what it would entail. "Don't they eat guinea pig?" Fortunately, Roger did the Inca Trail trip last September so was able to guide me through some of the items on the menu.

Inti's specialty is rotisserie chicken (as noted by their chicken logo). Roger decided to order the signature dish (well, he upped the quarter-chicken to a half-chicken... to prove his manliness) with a side of salad, garlic rice and spicy Ají Inti (again, manliness) for dipping. ($14.15)


Roger really liked this chicken. Proof: He didn't offer me any, and he couldn't stop raving about how moist and flavourful it was, adding that we can knock the other chicken restaurant on our lunch rotation off the list. The garlic rice, however, was nothing to write home about, and while the salad was hefty, with cucumbers, shredded carrot and slices of avocado, the lime dressing was a little too sweet for our liking.


I got the sandwich pictured above - Pan Con Chicharron, a pork belly sandwich with thin slices of sweet potato and a generous helping of salsa criolla (South American sliced onion "salsa") between a crusty roll slathered with avocado mayo and Ají Inti with a side of yucca fritas. ($9.90)


This sandwich was AMAZING. The pork belly was well-seasoned and not too greasy. The salsa criolla was vinegary and fresh while the Ají Inti provided a mild curry flavour with just a hint of spice from the ají peppers. I was worried that the sweet potato would make the sandwich very heavy, but they were sliced so thin that you could barely notice they were there. The yucca fritas were crisp with just a teeny hint of sweetness... I was tempted to ask for ketchup but wasn't sure if that was the "proper" way to eat them. They were still good (and very filling!) without.

The service at Inti was friendly. It was a little slow at the beginning (there was a big party that had arrived before us, and only one person working the room) but once we got our orders in, the food arrived pretty quickly. I would definitely be back so that I can try the chicken for myself, and also the Lomo Saltado, a stir-fried beef dish that is oddly on Appetite for China's 100 Chinese Foods to Try Before You Die list.

Inti Restaurant
208 - 3132 26 St NE
Calgary AB T1Y 6Z1
(587) 352-5599
Open Mon-Thu 11 AM-9 PM, Fri 11 AM-10 PM, Sat 12 PM-10 PM. Closed Sundays. Ample free parking available.

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2012 Resolutions Check-Up: April

As you can see, April was kind of skewed because I was away for two weeks. But let's see how I did anyway...

Clear my plate
Being away really allowed me to see what "clearing my plate" sorta felt like! While I was on vacation it was nice to have the whole day to do/see whatever I wanted... I think now I'm at the point where I definitely would like to make some big changes before 2013! Now to convince myself that that is realistic...

Be a tourist in my own city
I had an *amazing* time in London and Paris and now that I'm home, I find myself being more willing to spend money to indulge in touristy things here for the month of May...

Drink at least 1 L on non-work days
So being away was the "true test" and I failed magnificently. I tried to be good and brought my 1 L Camelbak with me, but then I was carrying my camera, umbrella and water bottle (among other things) in my shoulder bag and my shoulders got so sore and something had to go... and of course, it was the water bottle! Worse yet, I'm beginning to notice I'm not finishing the whole water bottle even on work days anymore! Bad, bad, bad...

Get at least 7.5 hours of sleep per night (i.e. 10:30-11 PM bedtime) at least two nights per week
Lots of sad faces on the April calendar, and to give you a sneak peek, no happy faces on May yet, either! Though I did get lots of sleep while I was on vacation... does that count? (No.)

Well, I've been staying up till about 1 AM all week, so if I go to bed now that will be an improvement, right? Lots to work on this month!

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Smashburger

Cross-posted from Calgary is Awesome.

Many foodie events in Calgary happen downtown. Since I work full-time way outside of downtown (and many of my evenings are spent at the gym), I miss a lot of the fun that's going on. So, I was delighted to see that the first Canadian branch of Smashburger was opening just around the corner from my work.

The restaurant hosted a 2-hour preview for friends, family and of course, bloggers! Founder Tom Ryan flew up from Denver and was very gracious about explaining the concept and guiding us through the menu. I was late to the event and thus missed the kitchen tour, but a few other bloggers were able to partake in the opportunity!


Smashburger is so named because of the way the burgers are prepared - the burgers are made from 100% never-frozen Angus beef. When an order is placed, the cooks take a fresh meatball out and "smash" it on the grill under a metal plate, giving it an even sear and locking the juices in. Aside from beef burgers, they also do chicken and black bean veggie burgers. All of the burgers come with many different creative toppings, and there is also the option to create your own.

I was impressed by the fact that despite being a franchise, Smashburger made sure to include some "local" touches on the menu, including a "Calgary" burger with grilled onions, pepper jack cheese, applewood smoked bacon and dijon mayo, two types of poutine and a saskatoon berry milkshake. They have also tried to get some local suppliers, like Mackay's Ice Cream for their milkshakes, malts and floats, and Big Rock Beer. (Yes, they're licensed!)

I decided to try the aforementioned Calgary Burger ($6.99) and the Sweet Potato Smashfries ($2.99)



The Calgary Burger is like a classic bacon cheeseburger. The patty itself was very well-seasoned, and I think the smashing and searing does give it a nice texture, and it was very juicy and messy! I loved the combination of sweet, caramelized onions, salty bacon and fresh vegetables. So good!



I got a generous portion of Sweet Potato Smashfries, so called because they are tossed in a special blend of rosemary, onion and garlic. The shoestring fries were crisp, full of flavour and not at all greasy.


I was dying to try their milkshakes ($4.99) but didn't think I'd be able to drink a full one and still be able to carry on with the rest of my workday. Fortunately they were bringing around samplers for everyone to try.

I'm not usually a strawberry person, but I did enjoy this little sample - not too sweet and the texture was not too thick and not too runny. For those who enjoy a thicker texture, I think the malts will probably be the ticket.

All in all, I had a great experience at Smashburger and will definitely add it to my "rotation" for the rare occasion (OK, about once a month) that I go out for lunch! Would love to try building my own burger and perhaps one of their hefty looking salads!

Smashburger
4 - 2770 32 Ave NE
Calgary AB T1Y 5S5
(403) 250-3156
Open daily 10 AM-10 PM. Free parking available.

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